Pact leaves sour taste

As they watched their daughter and son grow, Bob and Mary Glaser always knew they would someday help pay for their children's college education.

With Mary Glaser operating her own hair, nail and tanning salon in Corunna, and Bob Glaser working as a millwright at Delphi Steering, it was something they could afford.

"That was always my intentions, but this (Delphi Corp.) bankruptcy has thrown a monkey wrench into the thing," said Bob Glaser, 49, of Albee Township, who has worked at Delphi Steering for 26 years.

With son, Bobby, 19, at Northwood University, and daughter, Amanda, 24, at Baker College, for nearly two years he wondered about his job security. The Troy-based auto parts maker filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Oct. 8, 2005, and at one time talked about cutting wages to $9 an hour.

A pact United Auto Workers ratified this week takes wages from about $27 an hour to between $14 and $18.50. Workers hired after a 2004 supplemental contract agreement with Delphi already are paid the lower wages.